Lance would be riding...

Monday, June 20, 2011

At some point I knew I would have to do a ride. The knee was definitely not as sore as it had been and I was thinking a ride doesn’t pound the way running does and that it might be okay. Besides, I have the MRI coming up on Thursday and I want to make sure that if I’m going to spend all that money, that they at least find something wrong…in other words I have to hurt when I arrive (twisted thinking but it’s the way my brain works). I was also thinking how Kim was riding through whatever was out there…and with about 40 pounds of gear on her bike. Of course, she only weighs about 115 pounds so even with the gear, she’s still 30 pounds lighter than me.

I pulled out of the driveway hoping to go at least an hour. The skies were ominous and I felt a drop or two before hitting the end of the street. I’m reading ‘Lance’ …a book about Lance Armstrong, and I can’t help but think about all he overcame to become the world’s greatest cyclist, including riding in the worst imaginable weather on a regular basis. Rain? Let it come. Torn meniscus? Big deal…you know what Lance would do.

It started as a drizzle, which continued for the first 30 minutes, but as I was headed east on Eagle Road towards Kirtland Hills, the skies opened up. I continued on with lightning crisscrossing the sky and thunder crashing. It was a warm rain and I was soaked to the bone…so why turn around? Besides, riding…like running or hiking in the rain…can really be pleasant when its warm. My knee felt okay and I decided to go for a two-hour test. After 30 minutes of heavy rain, it began to subside and stopped shortly before I arrived back home. I’d stopped twice along the way to help turtles crossing the road…one Painted and one Snapper. Neither appreciated my help but then neither has previously had a rubber tire roll over its back.

The knee felt a little weak when I dismounted, but after walking around the yard, seemed to be fine…certainly no worse than before the ride. Later that evening, I went with Holly to Wal-Mart and walked throughout the store with no pain. I still can’t squat, but I think it is once again healing itself.

Bike workout: Two hours.
Training Heart Rate: 130 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 1800.